Hong Kong faces renewed dengue fever concerns after recording its first local case of 2026, prompting health officials to warn of a “moderate” risk of outbreak as temperatures rise and the rainy season approaches. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) confirmed the case involved a 21-year-old man who developed symptoms including fever, headache, myalgia and a rash on April 12. He sought medical attention at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in Tai Po on April 16 and is currently in stable condition. The patient had not travelled outside Hong Kong recently but reported being bitten by mosquitoes near a construction site in Penny’s Bay on Lantau Island, where he works. Environmental inspections following the case revealed multiple sites conducive to mosquito breeding in the area, including drainage channels with weeds and leaves, as well as stagnant water. Health officials have set up a consultation booth at Tai Wo Estate in Tai Po, where the man resides, to provide health assessments and dengue fever antibody tests for individuals experiencing symptoms. As of April 22, Hong Kong has recorded 13 dengue fever cases this year, with 12 classified as imported and one as locally acquired. This marks the first local case since 2024, as no local transmissions were reported in 2025. All imported cases this year involved travel to dengue-endemic regions during the incubation period, with patients having visited Thailand and Sri Lanka among other locations. Health officials emphasize that while the risk of an outbreak exists due to favourable mosquito breeding conditions from rising temperatures and increasing humidity, it remains preventable and under control. Albert Au, head of the CHP’s communicable disease branch, warned that the first local case indicates possible undiagnosed infections in the community, where infected individuals could transmit the virus to local mosquitoes, enabling further spread. The CHP continues to urge the public to eliminate stagnant water around homes and workplaces, use mosquito repellent, wear long-sleeved clothing, and install window screens to reduce exposure. Authorities similarly advise travellers to dengue-affected areas to take precautions and seek medical attention promptly if symptoms develop after returning to Hong Kong. Ongoing surveillance and vector control efforts by the CHP and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) remain critical in preventing local transmission and mitigating the risk of a wider outbreak during the peak mosquito season.
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